Snuff Bottle: Opaline Glass Bottle with Blue Overlay of Flowers and BirdsThe opaline (milk glass) has a deep blue overlay that has been carefully carved out leaving bold images of birds and flowers. The bird has a long tail, likely to be a pheasant or phoenix, and the 4 petal flower a plum blossom, The carving carried out in clean crisp lines are identical on both sides. The bottle is not flattened like most snuff bottles but a solid globular shape. The oval base is outline with a thin band of blue glass. The top is not

the scene conveys the same silent solitary view of a figure trying to cross a bridge

The scholar rock is a mountain in miniature

dressed in haori - short robe

the southernmost province of China are not familiar with the artistic pieces of the Shiwan potters

This statement needs an explanation of the painting style of the late Ming Dynasty at the turn of the 17 century

for Zhang Fei who rode the black horse  On the white horse is Guan Yu

The bottle has a flattened rectangular form tapering towards the base which is concave

a common glaze on Ming Dynasty artifacts

The tips of ears

Dating: 1900's to 1920's

near the Provincial Capital of Guangzhou (Canton

and one the the most endearing were the figurines